Pickets
have moved away from the distribution centers operated by the grocery retailers
under strike in Southern California, NBC News reported recently,
except for centers operated by Vons.

That means
long-haul truckers delivering to many of the warehouses no longer face
a choice between crossing a picket line or not delivering, and that many
Teamsters workers at the warehouses are returning to work. Roughly 6,000
members of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters working for Ralphs
or Albertsons are affected by the action, but 2,000 remain off the job
at Vons warehouses.

The action
came days after the latest round of talks between officials of four grocery
retailers and the United Food and Commercial Workers broke down.

The labor
dispute, which centers on health care benefits, started Oct. 21 and covers
more than 800 Southern California stores operated by Vons, Ralph's, Pavilions
and Albertsons. Those stores make up roughly 60 percent of all groceries
in the southern half of the state.